An Ace And An Argument are a two piece rock band hailing from Anchorage, AK. It consists of Robin Magnus and Ted Smith, who are both multi-instrumentalists. Their music is alternative rock, and you hear the influence of bands like Nirvana, Incubus, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, though they are more than just the sum of these influences, with their own distinctive style.
This song, Counting The Days, is an intense track musically and lyrically. It starts with a haunting guitar figure, before a verse of wah-wah drenched low end chords. Over this we hear a mournful vocal melody which builds towards an epic, powerful chorus. The vocals have the angst-ridden quality needed for this style, somewhere in between Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder.
Lyrically, it is about an existential crisis and someone struggling with finding reasons to carry on: “It’s another day of waiting for a reason to believe…can’t find one that fits enough…”. There is a little dark humour in the second verse: “I’d rather be one of the strange than one of the insane….”.
Overall, this is a strong song where the quality shines through despite the limitations of the production. If this were to be professionally recorded in a studio, it has the potential to become a breakthrough song for this band. Also, its never been a better time to be a two piece rock band with the precedent set by The Black Keys and The White Stripes.
By Alex Faulkner
I’m 34 and a freelance music journalist, as well as a composer and producer. I’ve written reviews for UK newspapers and music websites. I run my own blog, reviewing the best new bands and artists . I’m very passionate and knowledgeable about music and that shows in my writing.
